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El Paso activists on both sides of the abortion debate Friday weighed the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to hear a Texas abortion case.

The legislation would require abortion clinics to be set up like ambulatory surgical centers and would require doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.

The focus on the Supreme Court's decision will be whether or not the legislation creates an undue burden on an individual's constitutional right to an abortion, The Associated Press reported.

El Paso currently has two abortion clinics, including one that re-opened in September after the Supreme Court temporarily blocked parts of House Bill 2 from going into effect.

"We hope that the House Bill 2 will go into full effect because women deserve higher standards of medical care," said Gabriela Federico, the Reverence for Life Coordinator at the Catholic Diocese of El Paso. "It's not something we want, because we are not in favor of abortion, but abortions will still remain available in Texas, and there are already facilities that meet HB 2 requirements and safety standards."

El Paso is also near abortion clinics in New Mexico, including one in Santa Teresa.

"If HB 2 does pass, then it means we're going to have to do a lot more work for clients in this area who need abortions," said Alyssah Roth, president of West Fund, a pro-choice rights group that works to provide funding for women seeking abortions. "It's going to cost more money. It's possible more people could come to El Paso, confused about the laws and how they impact us, like longer wait and travel times."

Roth said, "I think that El Paso is in a good spot right now because of the clinics that are present here and close to here. This is an issue that can't be decided by small, conservative local government. It needs to be considered as a whole, because this is a human right's issue. We can have funds providing financial support, but that only goes so far if there's not support at a legislative level."

Sara Sanchez can be reached at 546-6147; ssanchez@elpasotimes.com; @siempresarita on Twitter.